Confrontation or Compromise For President Obama’s Second Term?

DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) – Though more than one thousand miles away from the nation’s Capital, Pastor C. Dennis Williams of the Smith Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dallas, couldn’t help but feel close to all of the pageantry of President Barack Obama’s second Inauguration.

The pastor says, “I think it was a tremendous feat that he was able to get re-elected.”

He says during his second term, the President needs to get tough with Republicans to accomplish his goals.

“He has to be aggressive in the next four years, he has to lay the gauntlet down. This is what I expect and I am expecting you to support me.”

But Garland Tea Party member Katrina Pierson says Republicans shouldn’t abandon their core beliefs in the President’s second term.

Pierson says, “I don’t know if the term is compromise or if the term is just standing on principle, and if that means doing nothing until we can find something we can both agree on I think there are a lot of Americans who would support not doing anything rather than just keep doing worse.”

But before the Inauguration, Republicans on Capitol Hill softened their position in the debt ceiling debate.

This past Friday, they agreed to extend the government’s borrowing authority for three more months.

Leaders of local Democratic and Republican parties say finding common ground these next four years is essential.

Wade Emmert, chairman of the Dallas County Republican Party says, “I do think there should be compromise when we have shared goals and we can see some shared opportunities to succeed.”

Shawn Stevens, chairman of Collin County’s Democratic Party says, “I think if the Republicans are smart, they’ll listen to the American people and not really try to be obstructionists and try to throw roadblocks in the way of these important measures we must deal with as a country.”

After all the Inauguration parties, pomp and circumstance end, it’ll be back to work on Capitol Hill.

Many serious issues await the President and Congress: the deficit and debt, gun control, and immigration.

The public will be watching to see how quickly progress will be made, if at all.

Jack covers politics for KTVT-TV CBS 11 and has been with the station since September 2003.
This year, he has interviewed Democrat Bernie Sanders and Republicans Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, as well as Gov. Greg Abbott.
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